fraud as the cost of doing business is not acceptable. last year there was a true cost of fraud report that showed every dollar cost four dollars and four cents. if you take that benefits out of that amount you're still looking at a dollar 52 being the cost borne by the states and another in that being born by the federal government. fraud is extensive. the other point i would like to make is it's not just siloed in one program. and for the disability, it's a two-year certification. order. announcer: you can watch the rest of this on the c-span app. we take you over to capitol hill

where the house is gaveling in. live coverage here on c-span. nays are ordered. or votes are objected to under clause 6 of rule 20. the house will resume proceedings on postponed questions at a later time. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 825, the assisting small businesses not fraudsters act. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 825. a bill to prohibit individuals convicted of defrauding the government from receiving any assistance from the small business administration and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlewoman from new york, ms. velazquez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include

extraneous material on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 825, the assisting small businesses nod fraudsters act, s.b.a. financial assistance programs are critical to entrepreneurs. unfortunately fraudsters infiltrated pandemic-era loans at an alarming rate. an estimated $200 billion stolen from honest, hardworking small businesses that needed help when they were forced to close their doors during the covid-19 pandemic, the harm these fraudsters caused small businesses is devastating to see. my bill creates accountability and ensures fraudsters are banned from receiving s.b.a. resources for the rest of their lives and as chairman of the house committee on small business, it's my duty to support america's small businesses, not fraudsters. i ask for your support in prioritizing honest, hardworking small business owners over those

who defrauded the government and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you, mr. speaker. i am pleased to be here today as we debate the first set of small business bills. our committee has a long tradition of putting politics aside to deliver for our nation's small employers. small businesses employ roughly half of the private workforce, create the majority of new jobs, drive innovation, and generate almost half of our nation's economic activity. they are the heart and soul of our communities. whether it is a neighborhood childcare center or a bakery onmate main street, they're creating -- on main street, they're creating neighborhood jobs and reinvesting in the local economies. more than 21 million small businesses were launched during the previous administration. with the vast majority of the

applications being filed by women, including women of color. this is a clear indicator of positive growth and strong entrepreneurial activity. but more work needs to be done. and today we are considering seven bipartisan bills that will create additional opportunities for entrepreneurs. with that said, my hope is that we can work together to conduct oversight of the trump administration's policies. i have been particularly troubled by the process in federal funding to small businesses, inflationary tariffs and elon musk's access to the s.b.a., h.r. and contract payment systems. i welcome the opportunity to look into these matters in a bipartisan way. turning to our first bill, h.r. 825 will prohibit anyone convicted of defrauding the government during the covid-19 pandemic from receiving any

s.b.a. loan. the small business administration disburses approximately $1.2 trillion in economic aid during the pandemic. the vast majority of this aid served as a lifeline, helping to keep small businesses afloat during troubling and uncertain economic times. unfortunately bad actors took advantage of the program early in the pandemic, when s.b.a. removed or weakened internal controls. upon taking office, the biden administration reinstituted longstanding anti-fraud controls and put new safeguards into place to curb the know of pandemic dollars to fraudsters. before issuing a loan, the s.b.a. will screen applicants on the government's do-no-pay list and then checks its internal database for fraudulent flags or holds. borrowers had an opportunity to

clear their names, but the s.b.a. did not move forward until the holes were cleared. the bill we are considering today has the same effect as the actions taken by the biden administration. and it sent a strong message that s.b.a. will not do business with anyone who defrauded the government. with that said, the single most important action congress can take to recover fraudulent pandemic funds is so fully fund the inspector general and give the office the resources it needs to go after the bad actors. former representative luetkemeyer and i sponsored two bills which became law to extend the statute of limitations for fraud in the p.p.p. and the program to 10 years. without additional resources, the o.i.g. will not be able to

capitalize on these new laws. and american taxpayers will lose out. in closing i appreciate the bipartisan work of chairman williams, representative simon and mr. mfume. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. this important legislation will hold these fraudsters accountable. and i urge my colleagues to support it. and with that, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to the gentlelady from california, ms. simon. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. simon: thank you, mr. speaker. ranking member velazquez, for this opportunity to speak. and thank you to our wonderful chairman, chairman williams, for working with me to introduce this bill. i urge my colleagues to support this effort to prioritize small

businesses in the future through funding opportunities, by preventing pandemic fraudsters from accessing federal small business funds. like other communities around the united states, in california's 12th district, small businesses are the life blood of our communities. over 29,000 small businesses in our district bolster our region. these businesses struggled throughout the pandemic and in oakland's downtown, for instance, many of these institutions are fighting day in and day out just to stay afloat. the small business administration employees who work hard to support them, i thank you. you all, these wonderful federal employees, you all have been connecting with small businesses in our district with emergency assistance, access to capital, and even advice about how to keep the doors open in the

darkest times, how to pay your workers, and how to be strong service members in our community. these federal workers that i speak of, i've heard from many of them and i got to say, they've been under assault by this current administration. just last month i visited the small business administration field office and less than two hours after i left, two of those employees had received layoff notices. you see, firing federal employees in this moment does not decrease the need or importance of the agency. it just makes it harder for entrepreneurs, for restauranteers, for childcare operators and others to keep their employees paid, to keep their doors open, to keep our downtowns thriving. every dollar that congress gives to the small business administration in this moment means the difference of a small business opening, employing

folks, or filing for bankruptcy. the small business administration has provided $1.2 trillion, excuse me, let me say that again, $1.2 trillion in paycheck protection program loans and other emergency assistance during the pandemic. and like my ranking member has told us, unfortunately there have been serious bad actors who took advantage of these funds and those folks defrauded not only the government, they defrauded the mom and pop shops on main street and in my case on broadway. those dollars could have been used to create jobs, revitalize communities, and to help these businesses stay open and thrive, but instead these fraudsters took advantage of the lax application screenings, which we believe may have resulted in 17% of the total small business administration assistance. as a result, the biden administration has created new safeguards to reduce the potential for this fraud, but

this legislation that's supported by our committee -- thank you. thank you, ranking member. would build on this effort, making convicted, convicted fraudsters ineligible for federal small business assistance. as someone who has driven a payroll for over 30 years, i can't express how important this legislation is at this moment. we love and want to support our small businesses with everything that we have. thank you, mr. speaker. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields. the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from maryland. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from maryland is recognized. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i thank the ranking member for yielding and i want to thank the chairman for bringing this

legislation forward, as well as my colleague from california. i rise today in strong support of the asifght small business [indiscernible] -- assisting small business not fraudsters ac. legislation that help ensure that small businesses who need support get it, while cutting out fraudsters seeking to exploit vital relief programs. mr. olszewski: small businesses are the backbone of our economy. they create jobs. they foster innovation and they drive our local communities forward. they should be who we lift up and support and they rightly are the beneficiaries of many small business administration programs. however, far too often we have scammers taking advantage of these worthy programs. we saw this, for example, during the covid-19 pandemic, when the paycheck protection program economic injury disaster program and other relief funds were a lifeline for so many, but were also exploited by bad actors to the tune of an estimated $36 billion. this bill ensures that will no longer happen again, it protects taxpayer dollars, ensuring they go where congress intended.

only to the legitimate small businesses of our country. again, i want to thank my colleagues for bringing this forward. the government efficiency is a good thing but there's a right way to go about it, a legal way to go about it, and this bill is a great example, a bipartisan way to go forward. i urge my colleagues to support this vital legislation and with in a i yield back -- with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, we have no further speakers and i am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i am gladly rising in support of this legislation. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. i urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the

bill, h.r. 825. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid -- for what purpose does the member rise? mr. williams: i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. williams: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 832, the small business advocacy improvements act of 2025. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 832.

a bill to clarify the primary functions and duties of the office of advocacy of the small business administration and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlewoman from new york, ms. velazquez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is acknowledged. mr. williams: i rise in support of my bill, h.r. 832, better known as the small business advocacy improvements act. i want to thank my colleagues, representative van drew, tran and goodlander, for joining me in support of this critical legislation. by designing, the s.b.a. office of advocacy acts as the independent voice representing the views and interests of all small businesses within the federal government.

this means calling attention to harmful regulations and inefficient rules preventing small businesses from competing for government contracts. this will declare the duties of advocacy when acting on the world stage. when international trade initiatives are being developed, small business voices can easily be drowned out during these important conversations. this legislation fixes that problem by ensuring the views of main street are represented and heard before foreign governments and international entities. my hope is this congress is we can continue to look for bipartisan ways to make the s.b.a. office of advocacy more effective in helping our american small businesses. with that, mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the

gentlelady is recognized. ms. velazquez: i rise in favor of h.r. 832, the small business advocacy improvements act of 2025. the office of advocacy was established in 1976 to be an independent voice for small businesses within the federal government and it is tasked with representing the views of small businesses before congress, the white house, and other federal agencies. the office has regionalled a athletic directorred a regional -- regional advocates on the ground to hear firsthand the concerns of small businesses. and it works closely with federal agencies to elevate their concerns throughout the rule-making process. over the years, their work has saved businesses billions in regulatory costs while still accomplishing the important goals of regulations. however, their charter does not specifically state that they have the authority to represent

the views and interests of small businesses before foreign governments and international entities and the economies have become more interconnected and more small businesses are tapping into international markets and makes sense to give the office the authority to advocacy on behalf of small businesses overseas. advocacy has proven to be a strong component in the federal government and is well poised to promote their views in the international regulatory arena. i want to thank mr. williams, mr. tran, mr. van drew, and mr. good lander for their bipartisan work on this bill. i reserve the balance of my time the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: i reserve the time we have. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves.

the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from california, mr. tran. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. tran: mr. speaker, i rise to support h.r. 832, the small business advocacy improvements act. this bipartisan bill will provide small businesses with improved access to international markets by expanding the function and duties of s.b.a.'s office of advocacy, in particular the bill authorizes the office to represent the views and interests of small businesses in international discussions and analyze international economic data for the benefit of america's small business owners. as the world becomes more and more connected, participating in the global economy is vital to small business success. i proudly represent california's 4 2nd district, an international hub for america's small businesses. businesses in my district connect with diverse companies and international markets every day and are a dynamic part of the economic engine driving

southern california. over 90,000 small businesses call orange county home, including many in little saigon where exporting and importing goods and working with partners overseas is an important part of their success and allows them to grow. this bill will ensure that small businesses have a strong voice advocating on their behalf regarding international matters and help us to better understand how international economies impact our nation's small businesses. i am proud to be a co-lead of this bill, and i want to thank chairman williams and ranking member velazquez for working together to advance this bill to the floor, as well as my colleagues, congressman van drew from new jersey and congresswoman goodlander from new hampshire for working with me to improve the office of advocacy. mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan bill. i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentlelady from new york. ms. velazquez: i reserve.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield three minutes to ms. goodlander. ms. goodlander: thank you. i rise today as the proud great granddaughter, and daughter of proud new hampshire business owners and i represent the small business community here in the house of representatives and i'm proud to be a co-sponsor of this important bipartisan legislation and to rise in support of it, h.r. 832, the small business advocacy improvements act. i'm very proud to be doing this together with you, mr. chairman, with congressman van drew and with congressman tran. you know, my family's small business story is an american story, it's a new hampshire story. my home state is home to more than 136,000 small businesses. that's 99% of all new hampshire

businesses and more than 305,000 small business employees. small businesses are truly the beating heart of new hampshire's economy, and from our cutting edge aerospace and life sciences companies to our retailers on main streets from my hometown, nashua, all the way up to the north country, new hampshire small businesses are truly world class. but at a moment when big businesses and the economy is more consolidated in so many industries than ever before and small businesses are living through some of the most truly uncertain times in american history, from the threats of federal funding freezes to the threats of trade wars against our neighbors and allies, in congress i'm fighting every day to ensure new hampshire small businesses get true advocatings and a seat at the table in trade negotiations and in discussions that impact our international and interconnected economy. we're looking for a level playing field for small businesses to compete, an equal

access to critical federal resources. i've traveled all across new hampshire and i've heard directly from small business owners and employees about the concerns they have about the use of tariffs which are an important tool in leveling the economic playing field but will have a real impact on our small businesses in new hampshire. i'm really proud to be a part of cosponsoring this legislation because what it's going to do is it's a common sense solution to empower an important office within the small business administration, the office of advocacy, to represent small businesses on international issues. it's a critically important seat at the table for our small businesses at a time when they need advocates here in congress and throughout the executive branch. so i'm very proud to be a part of this legislation. i thank you, mr. chairman, ranking member velazquez, for keeping the small business commit one of the most bipartisan committees in congress. with that, i thank you and yield

back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields. the gentlelady from new york reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, we have no further speakers and i'm prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas is prepared to close and reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to vote yes on h.r. 832 and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. i urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 832. those in favor say aye. 2/3 being in the affirmative, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table -- for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. williams: i request the yeas and nays.

the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are ordered. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. new mexico a sufficient number having arisen, the rules are suspended and. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas rise? mr. williams: i rise to speak on the spur act. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: to enter into the scorecard program and other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlewoman from new york, ms. velazquez each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: i ask all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i rise in full support of h.r. 818, the spur act, led by

my clause representatives stauber and perez. it is crucial in bringing in new companies and expanding the industrial base. understanding the number of new small businesses engaged in government contracting will highlight the concerning decline in industrial base agencies in rebuilding it. it is part of the industrial base. despite their importance, small businesses have been squeezed out of the industrial base at an alarming rate and nearly half of the businesses leading over the past 10 years and threatens america's economic interest and strategic readiness which must be remedied. i urge all my colleagues to vote for h.r. 818 and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you, mr. speaker. i commend representative stauber and cisneros for their work to bring this important bipartisan legislation to the floor today. mr. speaker, congress and the

executive branch have carefully crafted fair policies to ensure that small businesses can compete for federal contracts. these policies include especially the small business procurement goals and set aside authorities have leveled the playing field for small businesses and enabled their participation in the federal marketplace. they have a proven record of success. federal agencies are worth a record amount of contracting dollars to small businesses each year. however, many other factors, complexities and policies like category management and overly strict past performance requirements are countering the impact of these programs. as a result, the government has over 40% fewer small businesses in its ecosystem than it did just a decade ago. this strength means that fewer small businesses are getting

larger contracts. and contracts are becoming out of reach of many small businesses, especially those who are not already government contractors. the legislation is a productive step that will help break that cycle. the spur act will require s.b.a. to take into account new small business government contractors when grading a federal agency's performance toward meeting its small business goal. i urge my colleagues to support this bill, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i'd like to yield as much time as he may consume to mr. stauber of the great state of minnesota. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. stauber: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in strong support of my bill, the small business procurement and utilization reform act, also known as the spur act. i wanted to begin by thanking my

colleagues and friends from california and washington, respectfully, representative cisneros and perez for their support of this critical legislation. small businesses are the backbone of our economy, the innovators and job creators and driving force of economic growth. in minnesota, small businesses account for over 99% of all businesses and employ over half of the work force. it is no exaggeration to say that the success of our economy is tied to the success of our small businesses. despite government set-asides, small businesses compete with participation in federal contracting has dropped by 50% over just this past decade. that means fewer small businesses are securing federal contracts and fewer are benefiting from the opportunity to grow and innovate. the federal government is the largest purchaser of goods and services in the world. if we are serious about

supporting small businesses, we need to ensure they have a fair shot at competing for these contracts. right now the scorecard system measures whether agencies are meeting their small business contracting goals, but it fails to consider how many of those contracts go to first-time participants. without this data, we don't know if new small businesses are successfully entering the marketplace or the same firms are winning contracts year after year. if small businesses can't break in federal contracting, innovation is stifled, cost for taxpayers increases, and american entrepreneurs lose out on opportunities to grow. my bill, the spur act, addresses this issue by requiring the s.b.a. to track and report the number of new small business participants into the federal procurement space. this simple but crucial change will ensure that small businesses, especially new and

growing ones have a fair shot at competing. too many federal agencies fall short of their small business contracting goals, leaving billions of dollars in contracts out of reach for american entrepreneurs. .. . . i urge my colleagues to support this important legislation. mr. chair, before i yield before from the great state of newefore york. 45 years ago tonight team u.s.a., led by herb brooks, and 12 minnesotans, beat finland for the gold medal. and i want to congratulate them 45 years later. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the

gentleman from california, mr. cisnero. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. cisneros: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of the small business procurement and utilization reform or the spur act. i want to thank my colleagues, congressman stauber and congresswoman gluesenkamp perez, for introducing this bipartisan legislation. mr. speaker, small business owners and entrepreneurs take a chance when they start their ventures, so it's only right that the federal government do what it can to provide them with a greater opportunity to succeed. because our government plays a vital role in working to keep our economy strong and vibrant, federal contracts can be a great opportunity and boone for a small business. but the government isn't doing enough to ensure our local small businesses have access to these opportunities. we need to not only do more for small businesses with existing federal contracts, but also help attract new small businesses navigate the federal contracting processing.

the spur act will help ensure more small businesses like those in the san gabriel valley, which i represent, can fairly compete for federal contracts. the spur act will require federal agencies to examine the following data. how many small businesses received a prime contract for the first time and are owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans? it will take the -- it will track the concerns of qualified h.u.d.-owned businesses, track the concerns of businesses controlled by socially and economicly disadvantaged individual -- economicly disadvantaged individuals and it will track the concerns of small businesses owned and controlled by women. there are several hub zones in my district, including the cities of elmonte and others and there are even more small businesses owned by women and people of color in my district. they're working just as hard as other small business owners to realize their dreams and they deserve to play on the same level playingfield as other small business owners that have

experienced navigating the federal bureaucracy. i urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation and i want to thank you again and thank the co-leads, congressman stauber and congresswoman gluesenkamp perez, and with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york yields. ms. velazquez: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: and reserves. correct. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, we have no further speakers and i am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you, mr. speaker. i appreciate the work of my colleagues on this bill and i urge its adoption. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. i urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation and yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass house resolution 818. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. correct. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass house resolution 818. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, -- mr. williams: mr. speaker, i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. williams: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 788, the

d.o.e. and s.b.a. research act. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 87 -- 788. a bill to provide for department of energy and small business administration joint research in development activities and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlewoman from new york, ms. velazquez, will each control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 788, the d.o.e. and s.b.a. research act, led by my colleagues, representative lalota, morrison and they nader. this will require the s.b.a. and d.o.e. toent ar memorandum of understanding to help streamline research efforts between the

national labs and america's small businesses. the national laboratories across the united states provide the government with some of its most cutting edge research. at the same time our nation's small businesses contribute extensively to public and private sector research and development efforts. aligning research efforts between the d.o.e. and the s.b.a. would increase the efficiency of the national labs and better integrate small businesses' innovation into government research. so, mr. speaker, i urge all my colleagues to join me in voting for h.r. 788 and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise today in support of h.r. 788, the department of energy and s.b.a. research act. this legislation would allow s.b.a. and the department of energy to enter into an m.o.u. to formalize the research and development activities that are

currently under way. the department of energy has 17 national labs that play a crucial role in fostering innovation and driving small business growth. the labs help leverage the expertise of d.o.e.'s scientists and also gain access to work class labs to test new products. they also foster networking opportunities that enable small businesses to connect, collaborate and expand their base. this type of partnerships are critical to increasing small business innovation, providing high-paying jobs for americans, and ensuring our country remains competitive. i applaud mr. lalota, dr. morrison, and mr. thanedar for their bipartisan work. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from texas is

recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i would like to yield as much time as he may consume to mr. lalota from the great state of new york. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. lalota: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker -- thank you, mr. chairman. mr. speaker, america's small businesses are the backbone of america, but too many of them face roadblocks when trying to do business with the department of energy. that's why i proudly introduced the d.o.e. and s.b.a. research act which strengthens the relationship between america's small businesses and the department of energy. this legislation creates a partnership between the department of energy and the small business administration for joint research, it expands opportunities for entrepreneurs to fuel innovation and drive economic growth, and it provides small businesses with a clear, more direct path to collaborate with our national labs on groundbreaking research and technology development. brook haven national laboratory in my district is a perfect example of how small business

and department of energy partnerships can transform a region into a premier center for scientific innovation. the partnerships are made possible by the d.o.e. and s.b.a. research act will empower main street america to contribute to cost-cutting research, drive the department of energy's mission, fuel american ingenuity and keep america at the forefront of scientific innovation at technological advancements. i'd like to thank my colleagues, representatives morrison and thanedar,er to joining me in introducing this important bipartisan legislation. this legislation passed the house with unanimous support last congress. unfortunately we couldn't get it over the line in the senate in time. so i'd like to thank chairman williams for his support and leadership in getting it back to the floor and across the finish line a second time here in the house. we'll get it done this time, chairman. i urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized.

ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the gentlelady from minnesota, dr. morrison. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. morrison: thank you, ranking member very lal kez. mr. speaker, i -- ranking member velazquez. mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 788. as a ranking member of the subcommittee, i'm proud to co-lead this bipartisan legislation with the gentleman from new york, congressman lalota, jand the gentleman from m.c.m. -- and the gentleman from michigan, congressman thanedar. this would require the department of energy and small business administration to enter into a memorandum of understanding that would improve collaboration between these two agencies. this joint agency effort would expand opportunities for small businesses to participate in research and development opportunities at d.o.e. and its national laboratories. it is in our economic and national security interests for the united states to remain a leader in r&d and technological advancement. in order to maximize our impact, we must tap into talent wherever we can find it and too often

small businesses are overlooked when it comes to research and development opportunities. small businesses are not only the backbone of our economy, but they also drive forward american innovation and ingenuity. the d.o.e. and s.b.a. research act will help ensure that small business owners continue to play a central role in the united states' leadership in these areas. i want to thank my colleagues for their collaboration on this critical legislation, i'd like to thank chairman williams and ranking member velazquez for their support. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on this legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i'd like to yield as much time as he may consume to mr. van drew from the great state of new jersey. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. van drew: good afternoon, chairman. i rise in support of h.r. 788. t.s.a. good and innovative -- it is a good and owevative bill. i also -- and innovative bill. i also today wanted to speak in support of the small business advocacy improvements act of twiesk. i'm proud to join my good friend

and a great colleague and a great chairman, roger williams, in introducing this bill. which will ensure that america's small businesses have a strong voice in trade and on the discussions that take place on the global stage. in my home and in my district of southern new jersey, which is, as so much of the united states of america, represents a small business community that are the backbone of our economy and of driving innovation, and of creating jobs and of strengthening communities. in today's world, small businesses face competition not just from their neighbors, not just from other states, but from businesses and corporations around the globe. these businesses face challenges that larger corporations are often better equipped to navigate. this bill will clarify on the authority of the small business

administration's august department and office of advocacy to examine international economic data and represent small businesses' interests. in trade negotiations, ensuring that our small business people are not left behind. america as we know it can exist -- can't exist without small businesses and this bill will give them a leg up to make the american economy even stronger. i urge my colleagues to support both these bills and to support h.r. 832 and stand with america and stand with america's small businesses. thank you, mr. chairman, and yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from michigan, mr. thanedar. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. thanedar: mr. speaker, i rise to support h.r. 788. first of all, i want to thank chairman williams and ranking

member velazquez for their bipartisan work and, you know, as a serial entrepreneur in the technology innovation sector, i couldn't be happier to stand here and support this bill, along with my amazing colleagues, representative lalota and representative morrison. i recognize its indispensable role in enhancing collaboration between the small business administration and the department of energy, all in the name of improving research and development efforts. and let's not forget small businesses are a cornerstone of this country. the innovation we stimulate within this sector is not just important, it is vital for america's future. this legislation does not simply propose research collaboration,

it carves a path for our small businesses to lead the way. ... it mandates a collaborative form within two years of its enactment. this report will empower us to monitor and comprehend the effectiveness of our research collaboration. providing us with the opportunity to define strategies as necessary. i'm excited and hope you share my enthusiasm about the potential growth and broadening capabilities the d.o.e. and s.b.a. research act promises to bring. but let's always keep sight of the ultimate goal of this legislation, creating high paying jobs for our fellow americans and safeguarding our nation's competitive edge on the

global stage. remember, this isn't just about legislation, it's about a future. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, we have no further speakers and i'm prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i thank the sponsors of the bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: and the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. i urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass house resolution 788 -- h.r. 788. those in favor will say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative --

mr. williams: mr. speaker, i ask for the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman has requested the yeas and nays. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. williams: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 754, the investing in main street act. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 754, a bill to amend the small business investment act of 1958, to increase the amount that may be invested in small business investment companies. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlelady from new york, ms. velazquez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the

gentleman from texas. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 754, the investing in main street act, led by my colleagues, representative huh, fin said, and moreno. one of my priorities is expanding access to capital for small businesses. the sbic program plays a crucial role in this effort by attracting private equity investments to help small businesses grow and create jobs and strengthen our economy. sbic has been a tool to help small businesses who build technologies and support america's national security. h.r. 754 builds on this success by increasing the allowable investments from the sbic's to

5% of their capital and will allow more equity dollars to go towards small businesses. as we continue to support our small businesseses it will support the nation's job creators. i want to thank my colleagues from california for introducing this solution to empower the private sector to invest in small businesses. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in support of the bill before us today, h.r. 754, the investing in main street act of 2025. s.b.a. small business investment company program is a multibillion dollar investment program designed to bridge the gap between a small business owner's need for capital and traditional sources of financing. it achieves this purpose by pioneering private and public

investments in early stage startup businesses and also gives america small high growth companies an opportunity to fund and grow their innovative ideas and create jobs. the success of this program can be seen with companies like apple, intel, and fedex, which all receive early stage financing from sbic's. today there are 319sbic licensed funds participating in an array of private investment and private credit strategies. in 2023 alone, sbic licensed funds financed approximate $7.2 billion to 1,142 small businesses and startups across the country, creating or sustaining more than 130,000 jobs. importantly, financing provided by sbic licensed funds to

women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses total almost $670 million in 2023, a 25.7% increase from 2022. yet we must do more to ensure the program continues to meet demand. the investing in main street act introduced by my colleagues representatives chu, finestad will allow federal banking associations to invest up to 15% of their capital and surplus into sbic's. this change would correct a discrepancy caused by a historical drafting oversight and bring the small business investment act of 1958 in line with the office of the controller of the currency's national bank charter percentage requirements. no bank laws or regulations will

be changed or affected by this bill. it will increase investment capital available to sbic's and allow them to invest more in small businesses. i applaud ch, finstad and mccleaver's work on this bill and ask my colleagues to support it. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you. i'd like to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from minnesota. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. finstad: i rise in support of the investing in main street act, h.r. 754, which i'm honored to co-lead with my colleague from california. it makes improvements to the small business investment act of 1958, allowing small business investment companies, or sbic's to invest more resources in main street businesses across southern minnesota and across

the country. from winona to worthington, small business owners across the district i have the honor to represent relies on early access to capital to start and grow. this legislation will spur further investment in our business community and assist business owners in accessing the capital needed to pursue the american dream of owning and operating a small business. i'd like to thank representative huh for partnering with me -- representative chu for partnering with me on this legislation and urge my colleagues to support the investing in main street act and yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: mr. speaker, i yield two minutes to the gentlelady from california, ms. huh. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. chu: i rise in strong support of my bill, the investing in main street act which would spur innovation, entrepreneurship and growth in our small businesses nationwide. currently banking rules allow financial institutions to invest

up to 15% of their capital and surplus in sbic's. but small business investing rules cap these same investments far lower at just 5% of capital and surplus. the investing in main street act simply amends this outdated law to align these caps by allowing banks to invest a full 15% in sbic's. raising this cap would dramatically increase the amount of investment capital available to our country's small businesses for whom even small investments can mean so much. already sbic's have helped marquee american companies like costco, apple, and intel get off the ground back when they were just starting out. and sbic's fill a gap in the investment system and level the playing field for the smallest businesses which often face the highest barriers to securing investment from traditional private investors.

the nearly 319 certified sbic's in operation today have invested or committed over $38 billion in small businesses nationwide. and in 2023 alone, sbic's provided $7.2 billion in funding to 1,142 small businesses and startups. by raising the investment cap from 5% to 15%, we could potentially triple those numbers in the years to come and drive revitalization in communities across the country. i want to thank representatives finstad, and our colleagues and chairman williams and ranking member velazquez for their strong support. i urge our colleagues to vote yes on the bill and for the senate to expeditiously take it up so we can unlock more potential for the american entrepreneurs. i i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves.

the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: we reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield to minutes to the gentlelady. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. >> covid-19 shuttered the doors of many local businesses and many more are continuing on the path of financial recovery. now with sky high prices and rising inflation, small businesses need our support more than ever. today i join representative chu to reintroduce the investing in main street act of 2025 to increase access to capital for small businesses who need it. this bill amends the small business investment act of 1958 by increasing the amount certain banks and savings associations may invest in small business investment companies from 5% to 15%. mrs. mciver: as the ranking member on the small business

subcommittee on economic growth, tax, and capital access, i know firsthand the challenges business owners face. small businesses contribute so much to our communities. in fact, they make up 40% of our nation's g.d.p. and time we give back to our hard-working business owners. these additional investments will create more jobs, allow existing businesses to expand and thrive and reduce barriers to entry for small businesses looking to get off the ground. i'm grateful to rep chu for leading the charge on this essential improvement to sbic funding and am proud to co-lead this crucial bill. thank you to chairman williams and to my ranking member rep velazquez and encourage my colleagues to support this bill. thank you, mr. speaker. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, he we have no further speakers and i'm prepared to close.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to applaud the work by representatives chu, finstad, and mciver for their bipartisan work on this bill and encourage all my colleagues to vote yes and yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields. the gentleman from texas is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. i urge my colleagues to support this common sense legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 754. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. williams: mr. speaker, i

move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 804, the small business resilience act. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the bill. the clerk: h.r. 804, a bill to require the administrationor of the small business administration to approve assistance to disasters in rural areas and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlelady from new york, ms. velazquez, each will control 20 minutes, the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 804, the rural small business resilience act led by my colleagues, representative morrison, downing, pappas and bean. ... .

many americans are looking forward to the sunshine but that means hurricane season is approaching and many are still working to recover from the devastating storms of last season as we prepare for the next too. often disaster survivors in rural communities are unaware of the critical assistance the s.b.a. provides after disasters. rural small businesses face unique challenges. disaster recovery efforts should be tailored to meet their needs. the rural america -- the rural small business resilience act is critical to ensuring s.b.a. disaster assistance is tailored to the needs of rural america. as someone who has spent a lifetime in business, i know that getting the correct information to the right people at the right time is key. this bill will ensure disaster survivors in rural communities are not left in the dark when they need help the most. so i urge all my colleagues to vote for h.r. 804 and i reserve

the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield myself such time as i may consume. mr. speaker, today we are considering h.r. 804, which will require the s.b.a. to close out the g.a.o. recommendation ensuring that individuals in rural areas where a disaster declaration has been made have full access to assistance including targeted outreach and marketing materials. s.b.a. would have one year to close out the recommendation. on february 22, 2024, g.a.o. issued a report examining how s.b.a.'s disaster loan program assists communities after disasters. g.a.o. found that rural areas have issues that make recovery difficult and face challenges in seeking s.b. ample disaster

assistance. while the s.b.a. have taken steps to address challenges to recovery, including portable outreach centers, virtual outreach and a whole of s.b.a. approach, g.a.o. recommended that s.b.a. distinguish between urban and rural outreach in their marketing plans and take steps to counter channels faced by rural communities. this bill prioritizes s.b.a. efforts to close out this g.a.o. recommendation and focus on our nation's rural communities. i commend dr. morrison, mr. down, mr. pappas and mr. bean for their work on this bill. thank you and i reserve the balance of many time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady reserves. the gentleman from texas see reserves. the gentlelady from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield two minutes to the gentlelady from

minnesota, dr. morrison. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. morrison: thank you, ranking member velazquez. mr. speaker, i rise in support of my legislation, the rural small business resilience act. as the ranking member of the subcommittee on rural development, energy and supply chains i'm pleased to put forward this commonsense, bipartisan legislation that will ensure rural small businesses can operate on a level playing field. this bill requires the small business administration ensures that businesses in rural areas have full access to benefits in the wake of a natural it's aer. the s.b.a.'s disaster program helps ensure small businesses have what they need to recover from a natural disaster. unfortunately, rural communities face unique barriers that inhibit recovery from severe weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires. a lack of cellular service and

other infrastructure can make it difficult for businesses in these communities to learn about and apply for relief. in my home state of minnesota, natural disasters have caused over $20 billion in damage and economic loss over the last five years alone. fema has reported more than 40% of small businesses do not reopen after a natural disaster. we can all agree that every small business owner in this country should have fair access to disaster assistance regardless of where they live. the rural small business resilience act will reach this disparity -- will address this disparity by requiring the s.b.a. to target outreach to small business owners in rural communities. i want to close by thanking the gentleman from montana, congressman down, the gentleman from new hampshire, congressman pappas, and the gentleman from florida, congressman bean, for their support on this bipartisan legislation. i would like to thank chairman williams and ranking member

velazquez for their support on this bill. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on this legislation. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york reserves. the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from maryland, mr. roll she wasky. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. olszewski: thank you. my home in maryland is home to thousands of small businesses all with unique needs and challenges. i support this bill because it will help small businesses in rural communities receive the resources they need and support

they need to recover in times of crisis by requiring targeted outreach and marketing tells and requiring a deadline to get it done. small businesses are the heart of our economy. that's especially true in rural communities. however we know that small businesses in rural america often face unique challenges that are often overlooked. especially when it comes to disaster relief programs. it's simple. we need to make sure that small rural businesses aren't left out when pandemics to hurricanes to everything in between strikes. as a county executive i witnessed firsthand the severe financial pressures caused by the covid pandemic which devastated many small businesses. i saw how rural businesses struggled with limited resources, reduced access to broadband, this bill will broke dawn barriers an ensure that rural business owners are aware of and can access resources. i urge my colleagues on both sides to vote yes and show our

nation's small business owners that we're committed to their success. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york reserves the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: we have no further speakers. i'm prepared to close. i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new york. ms. velazquez: i urge members to support the bill and i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: i urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 804. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the requested. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20,

further proceedings on this question will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas seek recognition? mr. williams: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 828, the serv act. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 828, a bill to require the administrator of the small business administration to report on this veterans' interagency task force to are require the comptroller general of the united states to report on access to credit for small business concerns owned and controlled by covered individuals and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from texas, mr. williams, and the gentlewoman from new york, ms. velazquez, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. williams: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized.

mr. williams: i rise in strong support of h.r. 828, the serv act, led by my colleagues representative davids, alford and conaway. it's important to support our veterans once they transition back to civilian life, often on main street america. while our nation's heroes are uniquely positioned to be successful business owners because of skills gained in the military because they are natural leaders. unfortunately, veterans often face barriers starting a business, including access to capital and general awareness of available resources. this bill directs the interagency task force on veteran small business development to create and action plan to reach out to veterans and inform them of resources that apply to their direct needs. we must work together to ensure our veterans have access to the tools necessary to start or grow

their businesses. i want to thank the sponsors of the legislation once again and urge my colleagues to support our veterans and pass the serv act. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: thank you. i'm pleased to support h.r. 828, the successful entrepreneur resources for veterans act, the serv act. veteran entrepreneurs are powerful economic engines and job creators. more than 1.6 million veteran business owners employee nearly 3.3 million americans and make approximately $983.9 billion in sales. with that said, one of the biggest challenges facing veteran-owned small businesses is access to capital. service members report that it can be difficult to build credit while serving overseas. and sud injuries -- studies have

shown a higher percentage of veterans are turned down for loans. there's uncertainty on the scores they need for investment in veteran owned small businesses. the bill we are considering today will require the government accountability office, g.a.o., to conduct a study on the availability of credit to veterans, service disabled, and reserve-owned small businesses. i commend representatives davis, alford and conaway for their bipartisan work on this bill that will identify barriers and improve s.b.a.'s outreach to veterans. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york reserves. the gentleman from next is recognized. mr. williams: thank you, mr. speaker. at this time i would like to yield as much time as he may consume to mr. alford from the great state of missouri. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. alford: thank you, mr. speaker. gad to see you. and thank you, mr. chairman, for your leadership and as well as

you, ranking member velazquez. appreciate what we're able to do on the small business committee for main street america. i rise today, mr. speaker, because as a member of congress it is our duty and responsibility to protect and support our nation's veterans. you know, back in 2023, it was my distinct pleasure to have commander taylor burks of missouri's fourth congressional district testify at a small business committee hearing on veterans' entrepreneurship. he is now serving a deployment in the indo pacom. we wish him well. we learned not only about the unique skill set they can bring to small businesses but also about the obstacles that veterans face many times when trying to open small businesses and live out the american dream. it was imperative for members to hear how the committee and the small business administration can better serve those who serve this great nation. as a result my colleague,

representative sharice davids and i introduced the successful entrepreneurship for reservists and veterans or serv act. this bipartisan legislation which passed through the small business committee this is unanimously last congress will help veteran small business owners and entrepreneurs succeed by moving the barriers faced when starting a business. this bill will commission a report on the existing veteran's focused small business programs to make sure that veterans can access all the available resources, the capital, and the counseling that they need to succeed. mr. speaker, this legislation also mandates the interagency task force on veteran small business development to devise an outreach and promotion strategy for programs available to veterans transitioning into the business world. when veterans service to our country ends, they should not face additional difficulties in

accessing capital and resources. with transparency and increased reporting we can better ensure that they get the support that they need and the support that they deserve. i am proud to co-lead the serv act with representatives davis and conaway. this bill, mr. speaker, is a win for our districts, it is a win for our veterans, and it is a win for our great nation, the united states of america. i urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation. thank you, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from texas reserves. the jerusalem from new york is recognized. ms. velazquez: i yield two minutes to the main sponsor of the bill, the gentlelady from kansas, ms. davids. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized.. >> thank you, mr. speaker and thank you for yielding. i rise in strong support of the bipartisan successful

entrepreneurship for reservists and veterans act which i introduced along side representatives alford and conaway. this bill honors our veterans' service by helping them to succeed as small business owners. my home served in the army for 20 years. and my gran father served in the army as well. i learned about service dedich occasion to country. veterans defended our reams and we need to provide them real support. veterans face barriers when starting a business when accessing capital. these challenges have contributed to 35% decline in veteran entrepreneurship since world war ii. this ensures veterans have the resources they need to thrive. at a time when harmful layoffs

this legislation is more important. by strengthening s.b.a. programs we are creating jobs and boosting our local economies. support this bill and show our veterans that we have their backs both in uniform and beyond. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york yields. mr. williams: reserves. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from new york. ms. velazquez: i yield two minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, dr. conaway. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is reek need -- recognized. mr. conaway: i raise in support known as the serv act. this bill will study the barriers that veterans face in starting or owning a small business. this is not a one size fits all. each individual looks at challenges.

that is why it is essential as members of congress we support legislative initiatives aimed at identifying and addressing the obstacles that small business owners and entrepreneurs face. this will enhance outreach and promotion of focused small business programs ensuring that veterans can access resources, capital and credit. this bill will provide a report on the availability of veteran and reservist small business owners' access to credit. it will require the small business administration interagency task force to develop an action plan for outeach and promotion of the many plans available to veterans transings into the small business world. and this -- for many of our nation's veterans, transingings

can be daunting. as an air force veteran and vice ranking member on the veterans affairs committee it is crucial that we support our veterans in every possible. the serv act will provide robust support for veterans' small business development and help them achieve their entrepreneurial goals. i want to thank the chairman and ranking member for their support of this legislation and moving it forward and my lead sponsors alford and davids for their gracious support of me and helping to sponsor this bill and move it forward. with that, i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the the gentlewoman from new york yields. the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: we have no further speakers and am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from new york is

recognized. ms. velazquez: i applaud all for their commitment to our nation's veterans and ask my colleagues to support h.r. 828. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from texas. mr. williams: i urge support for this commonsense legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: will the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 828. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. pursuant to clause 12 of rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess until 6:30 p.m. today.